Saturday, February 25, 2012

pink moon

The simple elegance of Nick Drake's swansong was born of frustration, heartbreak, and despair. After the commercial failure of his first two records, Drake was despondent. He refused to do any appearances and isolated himself at the home of his parents. Producer John Wood was surprised when Drake came to him to record new songs. The sessions took place over two midnight sessions at Sound Techniques, a converted dairy on Old Church Street in Chelsea, London. In a deliberate attempt to get away from what he perceived as overproduction on his previous albums, Drake accompanied himself only on guitar, with only a bit of piano added to the title song. Wood says, "He was very determined to make this very stark, bare record. He definitely wanted it to be him more than anything. And I think, in some ways, 'Pink Moon' is probably more like Nick is than the other two records." Like his other albums ('Five Leaves Left' and 'Bryter Layter'), 'Pink Moon' never charted; but in the years since his death from an overdose of the antidepressant amitriptyline, its crystalline purity has made it an influencial cult classic. http://www.nickdrake.com/http://www.brytermusic.com/

'Pink Moon' is the name for the full moon that occurs in April when the pink flower of the wild ground phlox blooms. In the song, it takes on layers of meaning suggesting sleep, death, and rebirth.

"Saw it written and I saw it say

Pink moon is on its way

And none of you stand so tall

Pink Moon gonna get ye all

And it's a pink moon

Yes, a pink moon

Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon"

'From the Morning' is the last song on his last album. Lyrics from the song provide the epitaph on Nick Drake's headstone, in Tamworth, England.